Chapter Eleven

Then

It was pretty cold. Elena stared down at the city, her cigarette making trails in the still air, wondering when the seasons had shifted. Was it when they'd found Tseng, pale as a sheet, cut straight through by AVALANCHE? Or when Shinra had imploded, literally, taking a good portion of the city down, and claiming most of Rufus along with it?

She flicked the ash, watching as it floated to the ground. She didn't like this, the fact that Shinra was essentially run from the hospital now, because everyone who was important was damaged in some way... Palmer, left paralysed from the incident in Rocket Town, was not the easiest of patients. Poor Rude, it had fallen to him to stay with the man, as the failed Space Program director blamed the Turk for what had happened to him. Tseng was in and out of physio most of the time: he had survived the attack, just, but had sustained nerve damage. He would walk again, the doctors assured them of that, but it would be a long, arduous process. Anyone could sit with him- despite his somewhat cold reputation, Tseng was a people person; he liked to talk, and to listen also. It was Reno who spent most of his time there.

Not me, thought Elena, taking a long drag. No, never Elena. It was too awkward, too painful, to be near the man, after what had passed between them outside the Temple.

'Hey, Elena, how 'bout dinner after this job's over?'

Did he like her? Was it a friendly offer, a meal between companions? Or was there more to it? She remembered what Rude had said, outside Gongaga- 'No, she likes Tseng.'Did Tseng think that too?

'Th,thank you very much. If I may be excused.'

Did I mean it? She thought about this nearly everyday. Had she said yes out of politeness? She certainly liked Tseng. Who wouldn't? He was sophisticated, caring... definitely handsome. But you've never liked him. Whatever had been in their heads then, it didn't really matter, she supposed. There was Cloud, his sword, Tseng's pain...

And then that night...

xoxoxoxoxox

'Are you okay?'

'Stupid question.'

'... Sorry.'

'Why are you here, Lena?'

'I just... wanted to make sure you don't do anything stupid.'

'I'm not you, Elena.'

'You know what? Fuck you, Reno. I came here to be nice. You think I like sitting in some stinking bar, watching you get hammered?'

'...Thank you, Elena.'

She'd stared at him in surprise, shocked at the rawness of his tone, the sincerity within it.

'That's okay.'

He'd bought her a drink, and then another, and then she'd bought herself one, because he didn't want her to think he was trying to get her drunk. She'd laughed.

'Tonight I think I can do that by myself,' she'd told him, drily.

He'd laughed, just a little, then they'd lapsed into silence. She didn't know who'd made the first move, though she thought it was her. Suddenly they were kissing desperately, her hands on the back of his neck pulling him closer, his hands on her shoulder blades, thin fingers spanning nearly her whole back. She didn't remember how they'd gotten home, probably a cab, and then they were at Reno's apartment, the one he kept in the city for the weekends that he'd barely used since Elena had become a Turk, not that she knew that. She was surprised by how neat it was, because Reno was not the most organised guy in the world, but she hadn't commented on it. How could she, when his fingers were on her, rough and calloused and gentle all at them same time, making her come quicker than she ever had before, even by herself? Then he was inside her, and their breaths and moans were all she could hear. He kissed her neck, and she was lucid enough to wonder once more at the softness of his lips. When he came he said her name, and she couldn't tell if it was a gasp, a sob, or an accusation.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Elena stubbed out the cigarette. It was her turn to sit with Rufus, a task she found dull as well as depressing. The president was comatose, so it wasn't as though he cared who was with him. But she supposed that if he woke, he'd want a familiar face near him. But, Elena wasn't exactly familiar. They'd met, what, twice? And besides, everyone knew Reno was his favorite, for whatever reason. Elena smiled slightly. Maybe she should tell Rufus she'd slept with Reno, whisper it into his unhearing ears, try and shock him out of unconsciousness with jealousy. Except she'd never told anyone what had happened between them, and she wasn't about to start now. Rude probably knew, she mused as she nodded to the guards at Rufus' door. Settling herself down beside the bed, she sighed. The Turks didn't really talk that much anymore. At least, Elena didn't talk. She was once again the odd one out- the only woman, the only screw-up, now the only one the others didn't bother with.

She rolled her eyes at the self pity party, especially when she considered how much worse off Rufus was. She poked the president. 'I got you though, eh Rufs?' she said in a jovial tone. Ha, she'd almost expected him to wake up and kick her ass for that one.

xoxoxoxoxox

A couple of days later, Reeve informed them that AVALANCHE were nearing the tunnels beneath Midgar. The Turks were called to Tseng's room.

'You need to keep the tunnels bare,' the Wutain told them. 'Hojo and Scarlet need space, and they certainly don't need AVALANCHE bursting in on them. Try and get rid of them, okay?'

Elena nodded. 'Of course,' she said, softly.

Rude grunted in reply. Reno sighed, scratching the side of his neck. 'Sure,' he said, sounding less than enthusiastic.

As they were leaving, Tseng suddenly called out 'You three, wait!'

They turned back, surprised. 'What's up, boss?' asked Reno.

'Come back alive, okay?' Tseng's brush with mortality had made him painfully aware of how quickly life could be ended. If they were to die when the Meteor struck, it would be together at least.

As one, the three Turks saluted. It was the first time Elena had seen Reno make any gesture that was even slightly respectful, and the thought that he cared for their leader enough to do so made her smile.

Tseng nodded at them, a slight smile on his lips. 'I'll see you later,' he told them.

xoxoxoxoxox

They were quiet in the tunnels, the only sound being the tapping of their shoes, and the soft sigh of their breathing. Elena walked slightly ahead of the other two, gazing straight ahead. Reno didn't try and speak to either her or Rude, which was rare, but Elena was grateful. The big talk, if it were ever to happen, would come later, not here in the bowels of their home.

They'd been walking quite a long time when Elena heard voices ahead of them. She walked a bit faster, turning a corner. Reno hissed at her.

'Elena, wait!'

She turned to look at him, surprised.

'Let's try and get outta this without fighting, okay?'

'But our orders, Reno...' She sighed. 'Look what they did to Tseng...'

Reno laughed, humorlessly. 'You really think Spikey's sword coulda done that to your precious Tseng?'

AVALANCHE appeared in their part of the tunnel, weapons bared. Elena turned to Reno, glaring.

'Oh, you think so?'

'Elena, you talk too much,' said Reno, dismissively.

'We're Turks, Elena,' said Rude from behind her.

She looked at them in disbelief, then turned to AVALANCHE. 'Our orders were to seek you out and kill.' She looked at Reno pointedly. 'Our company may be in turmoil, but an order's an order. That's the will and spirit of the Turks! Believe it!'

Reno sighed. 'I'm not really up for it,' he confessed.

Cloud seemed unsure what to do. Elena was growing angrier.

'What are you doing, let's go!'

'No, let's not go,' said Cloud, tiredly.

Elena jumped. 'What?! You're showing pity? Don't take us for fools...'

'Wait, Elena,' said Reno, stepping forward a bit. She looked at him.

'You're not violating the order, are you?'

'Shinra's finished,' shrugged Reno. 'It's come down to this.'

She spun round to face Rude. 'Well?'

He turned away from her.

'Elena, you were a great Turk,' said Reno, with feeling.

Why's he talking like that? We're still Turks...

'If we both survive... If we can save our lives...' he trailed off.

'Our mission's finished,' said Rude, softly. They began to walk away, expecting Elena to come with them.

She stood for a moment, and time seemed to stop. Reno, Rude, Cloud, Tifa, the pilot guy... they all seemed to freeze. 'If we can save our lives...' God, was Reno giving up already? Elena swallowed hard, feeling too hot all of a sudden, as though Meteor was penetrating the tunnels. She shook her head.

'Remember the spirit of the Turks,' she said softly. She wasn't sure if she was talking to AVALANCHE, Reno, or herself.

xoxoxoxoxo

They'd done all they could, and now there was nothing left to do but wait. Midgar was a ghost town- they'd evacuated as many as they possibly could to the slums, calling on even the retired Turks to help them. Elena had seen her sister for the first time in months, and when they'd embraced she'd felt real emotion for her sister, knowing what she'd gone through first hand. How sad that she was only starting to understand her just as life as they knew it would probably be altered forever.

And now they were in Kalm, waiting as patiently as they could for death or whatever it was they had before them. Not much had changed except the scenery: Rufus was still asleep; Tseng still tired quickly; Rude still said nothing; Reno and Elena...

There was less than a week to go, by Reeve's calculations, and he admitted that AVALANCHE were having some problems reaching Sephiroth in the Northern Cave, and so Elena had pretty much resigned herself to a fiery inferno. Sitting in the town square, smoking a cigarette, she gazed at the red orb that taunted them, feeling her breathing falter as she imagined the pain they would suffer.

I don't want you to suffer...

Reno's voice behind her made her jump. 'Hey, Lena.'

'Jesus Reno!' Elena grabbed her chest, feeling her heart race beneath the skin. 'Are you trying to kill me?!'

'Sorry.' He sat beside her on the low wall, his long legs settling somewhat awkwardly. 'Bad habit,' he said after a moment, indicating the cigarette.

'If we live through this, I'll quit,' she said, not really meaning it.

He smiled slightly. 'Liar.'

She turned to look at him. God, but she loved to look at his face. He had spiky eyelashes that were almost gold in color, and soft pale skin that went pink when he got anxious or ambarassed. Oh, and his mouth...

She swallowed hard. 'I miss you,' she told him, softly.

He shifted closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulder a bit clumsily. She leaned against him, feeling how warm he was. 'I miss you,' he said, his voice unusually quiet.

They sat like that for a long time, not talking. Elena sighed, moving closer to him. She felt his arm tighten around her. 'You okay?' he asked her.

'Stupid question,' she said, smiling a bit. Then she sighed again. 'I don't wanna die,' she said simply.

'That's fair enough,' he said with a smile.

She shook her head, pulling back from him a bit. 'No, I mean... I don't wanna die, knowing what I've done.'

He frowned slightly. 'What do you mean?'

'Shinra, Reno. We had a hand in causing this, even if we only played a relatively small part.'

Reno shrugged. 'Shinra was trying to make the world a better place. Okay, so the methods weren't great, but...'

She stared at him, in disbelief. 'Reno... how can you think that?'

'Faith, I guess.'

She pulled away completely. 'Shinra created an underground city for the poor, where they could never see the light. They raised taxes constantly, they put no money into healthcare or schooling, just into their own pockets...'

'Shinra made you, Lena,' said Reno, warningly. 'You, your sister, your dad...'

'And look where they are now! My father is dead, my sister is an exhausted wreck at the age of twenty three...'

Reno wouldn't meet her eye. She stared at him for a long time, then she sighed. 'Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it? I mean, we're all gonna die when this thing hits, so...' She stood and started to walk away. After a second, Reno called out to her.

'Elena, wait.'

She turned around. 'What, Reno?'

'Let me ask you something. Your mom is still alive, right?'

She sighed. '...Yes,' she said, finally.

'She lives in, like, Icicle, right?'

'Yes.'

'You coulda got there, couldn't you? I mean, Rosalind's gone back, right?'

Elena didn't reply.

'So why did you stay here then? Not because you're scared of getting punished. I mean sure, we all know what happens to Turks who try and quit- but Tseng's not gonna shoot you, nor is Rude, and I sure as hell wouldn't. So it's not that.'

She started to speak, but he cut her off. 'You stayed because you belong, Elena. 'Cause you're one of us. Not Shinra,' he said, as she started to protest. 'A Turk.'

Elena stared at him, then shook her head. 'No, that's not it.' She smiled slightly, without any humor or happiness. 'I stayed because...'

She was cut off by a huge jolt, that threw them to the side. The smell of burning metal that had been in the atmosphere for the last few weeks intensified suddenly, and it seemed it was getting darker.

'Reno?' Elena's voice was high with panic.

Thin fingers slid around hers. 'I'm here, Lena.'

'Wh,what's happening?'

'...I think this is it,' he said, darkly. He pulled Elena to him. 'Come on, we need to get back to the others.'

They struggled through the sporadic jolts and air that was thick with smog to the house where they were set up. When they entered, Rude let out a breath, and Tseng shook his head.

'Thank god you're here,' he said

They gathered in Rufus' room- Reno, Rude, Elena, Tseng, as it should always be. They didn't know where Scarlet and the others were, nor did they care. They were the Turks, no-one else.

Elena went to the window, opening in slightly.

'What are you doing?' asked Tseng.

She flushed. 'If this is the end... I...' she trailed off, embarrassed. 'I wanna breathe the air,' she said, pathetically.

Reno came up behind her, wrapping an arm round her waist. 'I understand,' he said, softly.

They stared out the window at the mess that was Midgar. Elena wondered what had happened to AVALANCHE and Sephiroth, if there was any chance for the planet. She leaned into Reno, because she didn't want to be alone, and because she loved him. She was aware of Tseng speaking, telling them that they were not only the best Turks he could've had, but the best friends too. Elena felt tears fill her eyes, and she knew it was affecting Reno too, because he pressed his lips to the top of her head and shivered.

Elena turned to them, smiling slightly. 'Come on guys, stop being so weak. You're Turks!'

Three voices, in perfect unison, spoke. 'Elena, you talk too much.'

Impulsively, she hugged Tseng, and then Rude, both of whom smiled slightly. She heard Rude sniff slightly.

'Rookies,' he muttered, and she could tell he was a bit choked up.

'Girls,' said Tseng teasingly, and he smiled at her.

She moved back to the window, and Reno. Meteor was getting closer and closer, the air hotter and heavier. It was too loud to speak now, and Elena thought maybe that was okay, because the lips she pressed to Reno's said everything.

When the ground began to shake she grabbed onto him, though she made sure to look at Tseng and Rude, just in case it was the last time. Both looked calm, but she saw that Rude had his hand on Tseng's shoulder, and that Tseng's hand was balled ino a fist. She smiled at them both, wishing she could have known them better.

Reno's arms tightened round her waist, and he bent her head, whispering into her ear. She caressed his hands with the tips of her fingers, glad that they could still feel. And then she gazed outside, seeing that the world was no longer bathed in red, but in a curious, milky green. She looked to Midgar, seeing undulating liquid dancing upwards, the steel necropolis below losing focus. Reno held her tighter as the liquid reached out for Meteor. She could feel his breathing increase, and she wasn't sure if this was the end or the beginning. There was an almighty crash as light met dark, and a ray of purest, most powerful light was cast across the planet. Elena turned and pressed her face to Reno.

I stayed because of you.

She closed her eyes and waited. And waited.

A/N- I never quite got the bit in the tunnel, because Elena says something like 'I think you can go against your orders now', suggesting they were told not to fight, but then she says 'An order's an order', and that they were sent to 'Seek out and kill.' And why would they be traipsing around in the tunnels if they weren't looking for AVALANCHE? Weird lol, anyway, that was the penultimate chapter. I figured they would go to Kalm or Junon, and picked Kalm 'cause that's where Marlene and Elmyra were in the outro. Final chapter up soon! Review pleeease? XD